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CA VETERANS with 0% or < ENTITLED TO FREE COLLEGE TUITION FOR DEPENDENTS

CA VETERANS with 0% or < ENTITLED TO FREE COLLEGE TUITION FOR DEPENDENTS

California Veterans who have a service-connected disability 0% rating or higher may be eligible for their dependents to attend California State University, University of California, or Community College tuition free.

Colleges will not tell you of this benefit because it does not benefit them. Unlike a grant or scholarship where money they help you get for college, in the end they get, this benefit is a waiver in which the institution receives no money.

In fact, last week one of my daughters asked the financial advisor at the college she will attend about this, and the lady looked her right in the eye and asked, “How did you hear about this?” My daughter told her from her dad, and the lady admitted to her, “We don’t tell people about this.” That is shameful, but that is also why I am posting this information on LN.

At a college orientation I attended recently with a different daughter, I became aware of this benefit from a student who was giving a group I was in a campus tour. As he pointed out the building where tuition payments are made, he indicated that he didn’t make payments there, however, because his dad is a disabled vet and he attends tuition free. This caught my ear, and another man's, who happened to be a 20-year retired Marine.

Asking about the program we learned that indeed, there are certain criteria under which a California veteran with a service-connected disability, no matter the rating percentage, may be eligible.

Have a spouse who is service-connected (S/C) deceased or rated 100% S/C disabled.

Be a child earning less than $11,702 per year (student’s income, not parents’). Note: there is no income limit for a spouse or children of S/C deceased or 100% S/C disabled veterans.

Attend a California Community College, California State University, or a University of California school.

Provide proof of the student's relationship to the veteran such as a copy of a birth or marriage certificate.

Go to the website and view the Benefits Overview Link and Education link. At the bottom of the Education link there is a pdf download which is the DVS 40 form. This is the “application” for eligibility.

Here is the way it works:

You print out the DVS 40 form, fill it out completely. Leave no blanks or they will DQ you. Make sure it is accurate. The child needs to have made no more than poverty level, currently $11,702, and that includes their wages and support. Make sure you both sign it.

Locate your county’s Veteran Service Officer (VSO).

Take the DVS 40, a copy of your child’s tax return that shows adjusted gross, and a copy of their birth certificate to the VSO. (Keep a copy of everything for yourself.) Tell them what you are applying for and they will take it from there.

The VSO will mail a letter to your child at the address given. They will also mail a copy to the college. If your application is correct and your child earned no more than the current poverty level, it will be granted.

When you receive the VSO’s letter, contact the college’s Veterans Affairs Office and make sure they received it. Best method, if possible, is hand carry a copy to the Veterans Affairs Office at the college

Follow up. Make sure the college posts the waiver amount to your child’s account.

The waiver applies to tuition only, not other fees.

So, here’s the thing. Prior to knowing about this my daughter was looking at full tuition in the neighborhood of $5,000, plus fees. Now she will attend for the entire year for $560. She will have to reapply each year for this benefit waiver.

I have another daughter entering into a different CSU at the same time. She is in the same boat. She will now be paying fees only.

I have found that locating the web page for the Veterans Affairs Office on each CSU website is not always easy, and the best method for doing so is to google “CSU (the name of the college) Veterans Affairs Office,” and it comes up with a direct link. For example, "CSU Pomona Veterans Affairs Office." Here is a link of the different CSUs: http://www.calstate.edu/explore/campus_addresses.shtml

Remember that their is also the UC system.
To locate your VSO in your county, it’s in the phone book under your county, or you can search that on the internet, too.

To be honest…this has been a windfall and is probably going to be the best benefit I’ll receive as a service-connected disabled veteran. Over a period of four years, we’re looking at $20,000 per child. I have six!

If you are a 100% disabled veteran, you will find that you fall under Plan A and have greater benefits and fewer restrictions.

Now, is such a thing available in other states? I have no idea, but it would not take a whole lot of searching to find out.

Good luck and hope there are some California Service-Connected Veterans out there who can also take advantage of this.

Any Man or Woman who has Signed tha Contrack with Uncle Sammy;no matter what their % their Children automatically should Be able to attend College,F**king Freeloaders of Freedom Kids get a Free Ride why not someone Who Lays their Life on Tha Line Kid's

PLAN A: The spouse, child or unmarried surviving spouse or California certified registered domestic partner (RDP) of a veteran who is totally service-connected disabled or who has died of service-related causes, may qualify. The veteran must have served during a period of war declared by Congress, or been awarded a Campaign or Expeditionary Medal. This program does not have an income limit. A child must be under 27 years of age to receive the fee waiver benefit. The age limit is extended to 30 years of age if the child is a veteran. There are no age limits for a spouse, surviving spouse or RDP. *Note: a dependent cannot receive this benefit if they are in receipt of VA Chapter 35 benefits,

OR,

PLAN B: The child (no age limit) of a veteran who has a service-connected disability, or had a service-connected disability at the time of death, or who died of service-related causes, may also qualify for a waiver of fees. The child’s income, which includes the student’s ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME, PLUS THE VALUE OF SUPPORT provided by a parent, cannot exceed the “national poverty level” as published by the U.S. Census Bureau on December 31st of last year. *NOTE: This figure changes annually. To obtain the applicable national poverty level, contact your local County Veterans Service Office (CVSO).

Excellent information. Thank you. I wish I had known about it for my daughter who attended and graduated CSU.

Thanks. I'm sorry to hear about your daughter not being able to take advantage of this. As I noted in my original post, it is NOT something the colleges tell you about.

If I had not have had the kid who gave me a tour of the campus, to this day I would not have known.

Like FistFu68 said, there are freeloaders and freedom kids getting a free ride. In CA, those who are not here in this state legally get free tuition, while kids of hard working parents who pay taxes cannot attend.

And to pour salt in a wound, the CSU's, UC system, Cal Poly, under the name of diversity, will tell all those here illegally how to get tuition waivers and attend free.

But they hide the ball when it comes to this program. Just like the FA at the one CSU told my daughter, "We don't tell people about this."

So if your not rated untill your daughter is 28, she sh*t out of luck, but there are alot of skaters that are treated like they served and fought for freedom, that is just wrong i would have more benifets being a awol.

So if your not rated untill your daughter is 28, she sh*t out of luck, but there are alot of skaters that are treated like they served and fought for freedom, that is just wrong i would have more benifets being a awol.

Incorrect.

If you were rated and your daughter is 28 at the time of rating, you would qualify for Plan B. Best resource to determine qualification is go visit your county's Veteran's Service Officer.

Yes, it is true that there are far too many entitlement programs given to those who do not rate them, do not work, freeload, etc., cannot do much about that except contact your legislature.

My son is going to be starting college next year. I have a question that I hope you can help me with. It is about the parent's contribution to child's income. If we are paying for room and board I know that this won't affect the first year(as really it is zero) but in subsequent years do you have any guidance on what to enter here?

Hi, did you ever get a response on the value? The way the customer service representative at the CalVet office I originally drove to (to submit the form) explained it to me was: "value" is different than the actual dollar figure paid (which the form does not ask for), and it does not include while the child is at home either. The value of living in the dorm with meals is about the value of living in an apartment with meals, which is about the value of living in the cheapest apartment and eating ramen daily. That customer service rep even would equate living in a dorm with the value of living at home and being able to go to college. Same with books; the value of a book is not its retail price (IMO) but rather its rental or garage sale price. Etc. It seems to be a judgment call on your part. Hope this helps. And keep in mind it says, "by a parent... last year" so apparently money saved by others (grandparent, etc.) or in prior years would not be included.

Louisiana requires that the veteran be 90% or more Service Connected. The dependent gets 4 years at any LA state college, must be between 18 and 25 yoa. Once benefit clock starts, student has 4 years to complete education, or till age 25, whichever comes first. Extensions of this benefit are NOT granted for any reason. Students that fail to maintain the required GPA will be required to achieve minimum GPA for one semester AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE before being allowed further tuition exemption.....

The way our government wastes our money on useless things is appalling. Bernie sanders had our young people in mind and heart when he wanted free college education for all young Americans. So why not take all that money we waste and at least use it for something that will benefit young Americans. I think free college is a great way to use that money.